Kuwait's woman minister takes oath amid protests

Kuwait's first female Cabinet member took the oath of office in parliament yesterday over the shouts of Islamist and tribal lawmakers opposed to women's participation in politics.

The parliament floor was in uproar as conservatives stood and cried out that Massouma Al Mubarak's appointment was unconstitutional because she was not a registered voter. Liberal lawmakers then stood as well, shouting back, "Congratulations."

Amid the din, Massouma rose from her seat in the front row and read the oath from a paper seemingly unaffected by the screaming match.

Massouma described the event as a "great day for all Kuwaiti women." She said she was willing to "cooperate with all lawmakers" in the interest of her country.

Tribal representatives and Islamists have made it clear they oppose Massouma's appointment, saying her appointment was unconstitutional because she does not satisfy one of the conditions for becoming a minister, which is being an "eligible voter." She was unable to register in the annual registration period, in February, because the suffrage bill had not yet been passed.

"If she is not registered, she is not a voter," lawmaker Deiffallah Bou Ramia shouted during the oath-taking. Bou Ramia earlier collected 10 signatures of fellow lawmakers to discuss the minister's appointment in the house, a step that could lead to raising the matter in the Constitutional Court.

The Cabinet and pro-women's rights members counter that registration is not a requirement for being an "eligible voter."

"Tell me, is Shaikh Nawwaf [Al Sabah, the interior minister] registered?" roared liberal legislator Mohammad Al Saqr. "You just want to wage war!"

The prime minister, Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, said: "I would like to tell you that I am not registered, if there is a law against this, then we [unregistered Cabinet members] will all have to walk out of this parliament."